TD WEB DESK
ISLAMABAD: Members of political parties met in an All Parties Conference and resolved to make Pakistan Polio free. The All Parties Conference was organized by PILDAT.
Welcoming the participants, Mr. Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, President PILDAT said that in these COVID times although our main focus is vaccination against COVID but the Polio situation also cannot be overlooked. He further said that although the polio cases in Pakistan are on a decline but efforts are needed to completely eradicate the disease. The all-parties conference will send a very strong message to the nation that in spite of the political differences the political parties can come together on the issues of national interest and a combined political will
Dr. Nadeem Shah, from National Emergency Operation Center, gave a detailed presentation on the polio situation in Pakistan and highlighted the high-risk areas and requested the members to support the polio eradication teams. He also in his presentation stressed the need for compulsory immunization legislation.
The political leadership of different parties appreciated the efforts of the Polio Eradication teams and pledged their support for the complete eradication of the menace.
Notably, Senator Faisal Subzwari of MQMP while speaking at the roundtable assured the participants of his party’s support in the parliament for passing any legislation aimed at eradicating polio while Ms. Ayesha Raza Farooq, Former Senator and Secretary Membership and training PML-N said that while she (in her tenure as Senator) had presented a bill for compulsory immunization in the parliament but it lapsed and was not presented in the house. She said that she will be very happy to share that bill with the parties and it can be presented in the parliament by any party as it was for the larger good of the country.
Notable members from Political parties who joined the session were, Abdur Rauf Mengal – Ex-MNA and Member CEC, BNP-M, Dr. Fareed Paracha, Naib Ameer, Jamat e Islami (JI), Mr. Asghar Tareen, MPA-Balochistan Assembly-JUI-F, Mr. Faisal Sabzwari-MQM-Senator, Mr. Jan Buledi, Secretary General-National Party (NP), Mr. Rizwan Mumtaz Ali-Senior Advisor-PML, Ms. Ayesha Raza Farooq-Former Senator-PML-N, Senator Ms. Rubina Khalid-Senator PPP and Dr. Nausheen Hamid, MNA-PTI
The All Parties Conference concluded after signing and issuing a Joint Declaration. Joint Declaration was signed by (BNP, JI, JUI-F, MQM, NP, PML, National Party, PML-N, PTI, PPP and ANP).